culture

Skeuomorph

A skeuomorph is a derivative object that retains ornamental design cues (attributes) from structures that were necessary in the original. A dated example is a floppy disk serving as the ‘save’ icon on a computer screen even after primary storage transitioned to USB flash drives and the cloud.

What are skeuomorphs in your enterprise? How do they benefit or hold back the organization? A private investment bank I know uses roll-top desks in the partner’s room despite the move to more modern office decor throughout the rest of the building. Computers, cloud storage, and wireless forms of communication are mixed with slots for sorting written correspondence, ink wells, and deep filing drawers. The roll-top desk for the bank is a reminder of its heritage as a merchant shipping company and maritime history.

Local Ordinance

What rules are specific to your team? How were these rules drafted, and what was their intention? Which ones offer clarity and amplify your team’s impact? Which are vestiges of a former era that have not been amended? How do you orient new members to these local ordinances? Are they consistent with your enterprise’s values?

Workplace Fables

What stories were handed down that supported your work/service at your cause? Which narratives limit your effectiveness?

Multiple new board members have joined a cause and stated they would take the first three or four meetings to get oriented and up to speed before adding their wisdom. How has this mindset impacted the organization? What does this say about the orientation process? What vital contributions are lost during this acclimatization phase?

How has service on boards with a give-or-get policy (raise or personal donate x number of dollars) impacted the team’s mindset? If your primary focus stays on achieving your quota, what opportunities are missed? What is gained? Budgeting contributed income is easier if everyone is responsible for a percentage. The policy might eliminate potential board members who do not have financial resources or access to networks with wealth.

Designating appropriate resources, such as salary for staff, technology investments, and taking a political stand are considered inappropriate in some social sector factions. What stories do you encounter when explain why your enterprise invests so much/so little in staff compensations. What barriers/opportunities are evident when upgrading software? When was the last time your cause met with local legislators to share your legislative agenda? If we see compensation, resource investments, and lobbying as inappropriate for the sector, then what does that say about our help wanted sign? What does that suggest about how committed we are to reach our vision?

Stories may retain essential clues to how we prioritize our approach. How might we pay attention to which ones get the spotlight within our organization?

Intermission

How do you use intermissions? Is it a chance to discuss what you just experienced?  Is it an option to break out of your current mindset and adopt a new one (check your phone, get a drink/snack, smoke break)? Is it a moment to find the restroom? Is it a chance to prepare for what comes next? Or is it a possibility to sneak out of the event?

Do you prefer structured or unstructured intermissions (request to complete a task versus free time)? Intermissions are liminal events in our lives. They connect two scheduled events with something partially unstructured. Sometimes, we are desperate for intermission, and on other occasions, we hope for no intermission.

What does an intermission tell you about the experience we are curating?

Ranking and Mindsets

Does a ranking set the mindset of an organization? Does the staff at a two-star hotel take the same philosophical approach to customer service as a five-star auberge? When one joins the team of a high or lower-ranked establishment, what is the palpable impact on culture? When one is at the top of the ranking hierarchy, can they continue with a curious mindset focused on continual improvement, or does defending the status quo become the predominant fixation? For an up-and-coming enterprise with a lower ranking, does a nothing to lose and us versus the world mindset set a more ambitious tone?

How might we leverage rankings to bring out our best? How might rankings create dimension to our story but not define our future?